Former North Texas police officer sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography

DALLAS — A former North Texas police officer was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to the statutory maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.  This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Flower Mound Police Department, and the Texas Rangers.

Brian Kelley, 41, of Quinlan, Texas, pleaded guilty in January 2015 to a superseding information charging one count of possessing child pornography.  Judge Fitzwater also sentenced Kelley to serve a lifetime of supervised release, and remanded him into federal custody.

According to documents filed in the case, Kelley admitted that in September 2013 he possessed a flash drive that contained still images and a video depicting a minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Kelley most recently worked as a University of Texas-Southwestern Police Officer.  Previously, he was a deputy sheriff with the Hunt County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.